Dallas teens can score free access to the State Fair of Texas this year, along with over a dozen other experiences during July, all with a pass from the city’s Park and Recreation Department.
The pass, aiming to keep teens active and safe during the summer, grants admission to places like the arboretum, the Dallas Zoo and Bahama Beach. This year, the program added the State Fair, along with Dave & Buster’s and the museum at Love Field.
Starting June 29, the park department has 25,000 passes to give on a first-come, first-served basis at area recreation centers. The passes will only be given to Dallas residents aged 13 to 17. Each pass can be used for one teen and up to three guests during July, depending on the location.
Starting in September, the pass gives Dallas teens — who may not otherwise access the fair like in years past — a new option. The fair stopped offering free admission to high school students in 2025, citing safety concerns and dedicated school days. But for area kids, attendance is tradition. Park leaders are anticipating high demand for the program.
Here are some of the places teens can get in at no cost:
To qualify, teens must register in person at a city recreation center and provide proof of residency. In its sixth year, the program has given thousands of youth experiences they may not have otherwise accessed.
Pass details, recreation center locations and a full list of participating venues are available at DallasParks.org.
This reporting is part of the Future of North Texas, a community-funded journalism initiative supported by the Commit Partnership, Communities Foundation of Texas, The Dallas Foundation, the Dallas Mavericks, the Dallas Regional Chamber, Deedie Rose, Lisa and Charles Siegel, the McCune-Losinger Family Fund, The Meadows Foundation, the Perot Foundation, the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas and the University of Texas at Dallas. The News retains full editorial control of this coverage.